[[Hell]] is a horrific place where [[soul]]s are tortured for all eternity. Obviously, no one would want to be consigned there when they [[die]]. If you don't believe in (our conception of) God, you will go to hell. So you better believe in God (accept [[Jesus]] as your personal [[savior]], join our [[church]], etc.). (See also [[Pascal's Wager]].)

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[[Hell]] is a horrific place where [[soul]]s are tortured for all eternity. Obviously, no one would want to be consigned there when they [[die]]. If you don't believe in (our conception of) God, you will go to hell. So you better believe in God (accept [[Jesus]] as your personal [[savior]], join our [[church]], etc.).

==Counter-apologetics==

==Counter-apologetics==

Revision as of 17:20, 26 August 2007

The avoidance of hell is a commonly cited reason for believing in God.

Apologetics

Hell is a horrific place where souls are tortured for all eternity. Obviously, no one would want to be consigned there when they die. If you don't believe in (our conception of) God, you will go to hell. So you better believe in God (accept Jesus as your personal savior, join our church, etc.).

Obviously, the threat of hellfire is most effective against those who already believe in heaven and hell, such as theists who are angry with God. Its common use against nonbelievers is puzzling, because to threaten someone with something that they don't believe in is utterly ineffective.

Effective counter arguments include:

Asking for proof that hell exists in the first place.

Pointing to another religion's concept of hell and explaining that the apologist's argument can be applied equally well to themselves as regards this other religion.

Pointing out that one cannot force oneself to believe in God even if one is scared by the possibility of going to hell.

Comparison with Pascal's Wager

The simple threat of hell differs from Pascal's Wager in several key respects:

Pascal's Wager is an intellectual, philosophical argument. The threat of hell is most commonly raised as a purely emotional appeal.

With the threat of hell, hell is assumed to exist. Pascal's Wager treats this as an unknown.